“For our passengers’ sake, we truly hope these talks will be productive and bring this long-running dispute to an end,” a spokseman for the firm said.

But not all commuters’ woes have been abated - a strike timetable affecting the train-planning system remains in place.

“Regrettably, this means tomorrow’s service will be based upon the present strike timetable but we will do our very best to add services in and extend the hours of operation wherever possible,” they added.

General secretary of the union Mick Cash had laid out his deal to Southern Rail earlier on Wednesday, saying: “The company knows that prescriptive pre-conditions would not allow genuine talks to take place.

Rick Findler/PA Archive

Mick Cash said the ball was in Southern's court

“In an effort to break the deadlock and get the talks process moving, RMT is prepared to suspend strike action set for Thursday and Friday if Southern agree to urgent talks without pre-conditions. The ball is now in their court.”

But a spokesperson for Southern retaliated: “We have made the RMT a fair and comprehensive eight-point offer and we’ll meet them any time, any place, anywhere to talk about our offer on our network to settle this dispute.